so after driving around in my 3.slow, I finally made the plunge to get a 2000 4runner. I love the increased torque/hp and definitely much better.

My question is, how do you check if the timing belt and water pump are still good? I'm not sure if the previous owner had replaced the timing belt and the car has 100k on it. Is there some way to check the timing belt and water pump easily to determine if its been done or not? I'm not too concerned since it's a non-interference engine (based on searches here) but I don't want to get stranded when I take the 4runner up to Tahoe during ski season.

I now know why everyone does the 3.slow to 3.4 swap. Its a totally different car with much more low end grunt and acceleration on the highway. Next up, gotta look into supercharging and get fuel mods. I got that bug for speed again (I used to be into modified Mitsubishi Eclipses).

 

i was in the same boat- fresh owner, no previous history, 100k...
you may have other options, though.
carfax may have that info. if it's changed, in the replacement kit there's a sticker that affixes to the timing belt cover to tell you when it was last changed at xxx,xxx miles. that's what i put on mine, anyway- no telling if the heat from the motor wouldn't just peel it off....

so...after 30k, i just decided to change the belt and pump (partially due to the 3k move across the states) and because if it wasn't done by the previous owner (which i now know it wasn't) then it's definitely due. good luck!

also, make sure you have the cash to ante up for the charger- fuel mods, pump, 92, etc... lots of charger info on the site to look up.

 

You might be able to get your local dealer to run the VIN number too. They should be able to pull up the service records if by chance it was done at a dealer.

 

It's very easy to pull the upper timing cover, check if the belt is aftermarket. Of course if it's a factory belt that won't help. If there is no info from the dealer the only way to be absolutely sure is to replace it yourself.

 

What is the average cost for a timing belt service on these engines from a Toyota dealership?

 

I just had the timing belt,water pump,thermostat and other 3 belts done at the dealership for an even $600.

 

Here in CA, expect a little higher, maybe about $650. Toyota Dealerships are running specials to get business here in the Central Valley. i got the Timing Belt, water pump and all drive belts done for $643 which was only $50 more than a non Toyota dealership shop.

 

Which dealer did you take it to?

 

stir fry, LHM, MM, ML all seem to have about the same prices, which was around $600, IIRC. Just tell them that you have a 10% coupon over the phone and they'll give that to you. I get some mailer with a 10% coupon all the time, so I'm sure they'll take your word for it. May be on their websites, too.

 

I took it to Mark Miller Toyota they had some good deals that expired 6-19 though. Not to hijack the thread but I'm sure they broke my bellcrank while it was there and tried to charge me $200 to fix it. I won't be going back.

 

I apologize if I am continuing to hijack this thread.
Which dealer out of all including KM do you trust the most?
I have had good experience with ML, especially their parts are the cheapest every time I call around. They seem to be on the ball. Every time Mark Miller has told me something that has been opposite of ML, ML has been right on according to this forum. There was even one time that MM told me that they replace a vacuum switching valve all the time but their parts department doesn't even stock it, and hasn't sold one in 2 years.

 

Well, I have not gone to MM. Last time I had my transmission flushed, I went to LHM and they did a good job. ML seems ok, but the pricing on the transmission flush was higher than LHM.

MM has a guy that's part of the Land Cruiser Association in the service department (forget his name), so I'm sure he can be trusted. My timing belt is coming due and I'll probably just take it to LHM again.